Brew Up A Spooky Party For The Kids

October 19, 1989|By SHARON CROWDER Staff writer

Children love Halloween. It's a day when imaginations (and appetites) can run wild.

Why not encourage a bit of ghoulish fun by having the neighborhood kids over for a spooky party? The Saturday before Halloween is a good time for reveling, as some children may be trick-or-treating Halloween night.

Don't worry that little ones will tire of spooks and goblins before the 31st. I've yet to hear one complaint about having another party to attend.

Here are some spirited ideas to get you started.

FOOD

While food for a children's party is important, it makes sense not to be overzealous about it. Spend your time and energy decorating the house instead. The kids will admire your culinary talents for a split second or two, then tear into most anything you serve - especially if it's the least bit sweet.

Since children adore individually packaged treats, think about making foods that don't have to be shared, that can be held in hand or wrapped. Also, wrapped portions make kids feel less compelled to eat treats they haven't the appetite for: Uneaten food is ready to take home, if need be, for later nibbling.

Caramel-covered apples on sticks make for healthy, special treats. Popcorn balls wrapped in colored plastic are a good alternative, though more of a crumbly one.

You absolutely must have cake, or the kids won't believe it's a party. A beautifully decorated cake is nice, but pumpkin cupcakes are less trouble and more nutritious. Bake pumpkin cake in muffin tins, then decorate the cupcakes with orange frosting. Use black icing to sketch a jack-o-lantern's eyes, nose and mouth atop the orange base, or buy small candies to outline faces. Stack all the cakes on a pretty plate, and you're done.

Ice cream is optional but always well received. The day before the party, make rounded scoops of orange sherbet. Put on a tray in the freezer and when firm, decorate with miniature chocolate chips.

For drinks, a witches' brew is worth the effort. Place dry ice in a metal bowl, lightly sprinkle with water, then place a smaller metal bowl filled with cider or lemonade on top. "Smoke" will rise up from the witches brew and entrance little ones for the duration of the party.

Individually wrapped candies can be used as prizes for games. Let guests choose their favorites from inside a big plastic pumpkin.

DECORATING

Create a spooky aura right off the bat by replacing ordinary light bulbs in the party room with blue, orange or red ones. Pumpkins are inexpensive and, carved into mean-faced jack-o-lanterns, perfect for indoor decorating. For best effect, tuck a nightlight into a hole cut in the back and keep them well out of the reach of little hands.

Cut-outs of witches, black cats, skeletons or bats also can be used for decorating. Ghosts made from old white sheets are easy to round up: Stuff newspaper into the center of the sheet to make a head, tie off with black ribbon and suspend from the ceiling. Black and orange streamers fit into most party decorating schemes.

Favors should be traditional: spiders, bugs, mice, masks. Wrap favors, then attach them to a long string that has been spun throughout the house. Guests wind up the string to locate their gifts. Expect tangles to be part of the fun.

Another option is to attach a ribbon to each favor, then place favors in a hollow pumpkin with the ribbons hanging over the top. Let each child pull a ribbon to dislodge a favor.

GAMES

Musical pumpkins: Put construction-paper pumpkins on the floor for each child to stand on. Play as you would musical chairs.

Pin the hat on the witch: Make paper hats for all the children and put their names on them. Play as you would pin the tail on the donkey.

Trick or treat: Children take turns removing a slip of paper from a plastic jack-o-lantern. If the paper is marked "treat," the child gets a piece of candy. If it is marked "trick," the child must do as the paper instructs - twirl like a ballerina, moo like a cow, sing a song and so on.

Apple-bobbing: This can be messy, but kids love it. If you have an unfinished garage attached to your house, you've the perfect place to bob. Or set it up in the kitchen if you don't mind water on the floor. (Otherwise, you'd better move outdoors to a lighted porch.)

Put water in a big metal tub and place it on the floor. Float small apples in the water and let one child at a time kneel on the floor and try to pick up an apple with his teeth.